Page 25 of Best Kept Vows

How did a docile woman who always did as she was told become so belligerent?

“I don’t like having dinner there. Your mother is rude, and Coco is mean-spirited. Your father used to be just as bad, but since he’s relegated to second-class citizen because he’s notwhole, as your mama puts it, he’s not an issue any longer.” She closed the book she’d been reading. It was a project management business book.

“Come on, Lia. This is family.” I sat next to her, controlling my tone of voice. If she didn’t come, Mama would start a whole other line of shit with me that I didn’t need.

So, again, you’re choosing peace with Mama over Lia?

That little voice in my head was getting bigger, morepersistent. Guilt bristled through me as I saw her tilt her head, her eyes sad.

“They’reyourfamily, not mine.”

Air stalled in my throat. What did she mean by that? Did she mean…?

“I don’t want to spend any more time with them,” she continued.

“You spend time with my father,” I pointed out.

She looked at me, surprised. She didn’t think I knew. Hell, I hadn’t until just recently, which made me all kinds of an asshole.

“That’s because you all have abandoned the poor man. You see him maybe once a month, and your mother and sister…well, they don’t even bother with him, even at Sunday dinners when he’s sitting there in his wheelchair.” There was strength in the way she spoke, and I was impressed with how she defended Dad, even though he’d been an asshole to her.

My wife was a fucking saint, and I had to get with it, show her my appreciation.

“Lia, I promise it will be better tonight.” I put my hand on hers, and she threw my touch away.

“Don’t make promises you havenointention of keeping.”

“Excuse me?” I was trying here, and she was being a bitch.

She gave out a harsh laugh. “Seriously, Sebastian, what will you do, huh? Ask your mother to behave herself? Why would you do thatnowwhen you haven’t done it for twenty-two years? Will you ask Coco to stop commenting on myclothes, my hair, or how old I look and how I need to get a shot of Botox? No, you won’t. So, cut this out. I don’t want to come for dinner. In fact, let your family know that I’m done. I’ve more than paid my dues, and now I’m not interested in being their punching bag any longer.”

“What the fuck is going on with you?” I demanded, temper rising. “I amtryinghere.”

“What is it you’re trying to do, Sebastian?” She got up, and I saw she was in a cream-colored summer dress that I’d never seen her wear before. She was not in house slippers but strappy sandals with heels.

“I’m trying to fixus.”

She looked down her nose at me. “You’re out of your mind if you think you can fixusby insisting I have dinner with people I wholeheartedly dislike, withverygood reason.”

I took a calming breath or rather tried to. “I’ll make sure they treat you right. Okay?”

She was already dressed up, so why was she giving me a hard time?

“Sorry, I have a prior engagement.” She paused and smiled without any humor. “You’ll understand this one. It’s a work thing. My new colleagues and boss invited me to have drinks with them. And you know how it is; Ihaveto network.”

She was throwing words at me that I’d used over the years when I had to be away on weekends and dinners.

My head throbbed, and irritation clawed at my nerves. “You’re choosing drinks with strangers over family?”

“No,” she replied evenly. “I’m choosing work over family. And, like I said, I’m tired of your family dinners. I’ve had enough. I don’t want to do it anymore.”

I clenched my hands into fists. I didn’t know what to say or how to say it so she’d come with me. This woman in front of me looked like Lia, talked and walked like her, but she behaved like astranger.

She opened the porch door to go inside the house.

Panic clawed at me as I watched her slip away, my control over her—and my life—slipping right along with her.

“You’re walking out in the middle of a conversation?” I yelled, incredulous.

---